*Bizarre finish lifts 49ers over Cardinals in overtime*
By Bob Huhn PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer
GLENDALE, Arizona (Ticker) - The lowly San Francisco 49ers found a bizarre way to beat the Arizona Cardinals for the second time this season.
Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown with 5:02 remaining in overtime as the 49ers posted a 37-31 victory over the Cardinals on Sunday.
"I saw it on the ground and the first thing I thought was jump on it," Banta-Cain said. "I didn't anticipate that it would happen like that but I will take it."
Tackle Ronald Fields caused the fumble with a sack of quarterback Kurt Warner, whose mistake overshadowed a spectacular day in which he passed for an NFL season-high 486 yards.
"I don't know who knocked the ball loose but I saw it on the ground, jumped on it and soon as I had it in my hand, I knew the game was over," Banta-Cain added. "That felt like we just won the Super Bowl."
If the Cardinals (5-6) miss the playoffs, they will have no one to blame but themselves. They also lost to the 49ers, 20-17, in Week One.
The loss snapped an eight-game losing streak for the 49ers (3-8), who had not won since a 17-16 win in Week Two at St. Louis.
"It feels outstanding," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "It feels great. I can't tell you how great."
While there was joy in the 49ers' locker room, there was dismay for the Cardinals, who suffered a devastating loss.
The defeat dropped Arizona two games behind the Seattle Seahawks (7-4) in the NFC West and kept the Cardinals one game back of the Detroit Lions (6-5) in the battle for the NFC's second wild card.
"I won't say the game was stolen from us but we had opportunities to win the game," Warner said. "On the last play, I didn't see anything open and was just looking for a place to get rid of it and wasn't able to do it."
"I just came off the ball, beat the cut block and made the sack," Fields said. "It was a big play for us to get the win and end the losing skid."
Arizona started its last possession at the 3-yard line after Steve Breaston made an ill-advised decision to field a punt inside the 5-yard line.
"I would have liked to see him let that one go," Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "We need to do a better job coaching him and letting him know what to do."
The Cardinals had a chance to win earlier in overtime but Neil Rackers missed a 32-yard field goal wide left with 6:43 remaining.
One play earlier, Rackers appeared to give Arizona the win by splitting the uprights on a 27-yarder. But a penalty negated the kick and forced the Cardinals back five yards.
"I don't know what happened on that second kick," Whisenhunt said. "He kicked the one before right through the middle and I felt good about going ahead and kicking it again."
The defeat came after Warner engineered a clutch 85-yard drive in the final 85 seconds, completing five passes. Rackers kicked an 18-yard field goal on the final play of regulation to force overtime.
"This might be the worst loss and the worst way we lost a game since I have been here," Cardinals cornerback Eric Green said. "We have to win games we are suppose to win. Everybody is disgusted."
The 49ers had taken a 31-28 lead in the seesaw affair on Frank Gore's 35-yard TD run with 1:25 remaining.
Gore rushed for 116 yards and two TDs on 21 carries and caught 11 passes for 98 yards, as the 49ers generated the type of offense that has been lacking all season.
"Trent (Dilfer) always tells all the backs he would be looking for the check-down after watching film," Gore said. "He just dumped the ball down and I had room to move."
Dilfer, starting in place of Alex Smith, passed for 256 yards and two scores for the 49ers.
"We converted some third downs early in and midway through the game to keep drives alive," Dilfer said. "We were much better going and getting the first down, getting the extra yard, getting a half-yard past the chains.
"Those are hard things to quantify but you feel it as a player."
The second half featured three lead changes, with the 49ers grabbing a 24-21 lead on Dilfer's 47-yard TD pass to Arnaz Battle with six minutes left in the third quarter.
The Cardinals went back ahead, 28-24, when backup quarterback Tim Rattay tossed a 1-yard TD pass to rookie tight end Ben Patrick on fourth down with 10 minutes left in the fourth period.
